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It used to bother me why the French Canadians didn't join the American revolution considering that they had been conquered by the British only a few decades ago and could technically have been tempted by acquiring independence. However, you have to see it from their perspective to understand their motives.
After the Seven Years War was lost by France in North America a large portion of the French colonial elite went back to France considering the privileges they had under an absolute monarchy that they would have lost in the British system.
At that point the only elite from their "nation" that remained for French Canadians was the Catholic Church. For them the French language was the language of Catholicism or as they used to say: "The language of God". With the Quebec Act in 1774, only 2 years before the American revolution started, the population of the occupied New France was guaranteed that they could keep their language, their legal system (The Civil Code which is still used in Quebec to this day) and especially their Catholic faith.
It was very well known by the French Canadians at the time that a large amount of the American Founding Fathers were greatly anti-Catholic and that the American general population's opinion of the French in America was mostly resent for the constant semi-war situation that prevailed for the last 100 years between the English America and French Canada.
The French Canadians feared, with good reasons, that joining the American revolution could have resulted in them being forcefully annexed by the United-States as a pseudo act of "liberation". Being part of the US was unthinkable because considering how less numerous they were, they knew very well how the American government had planned to standardize the language of their country to be English and how their small demographic weight would have only helped their assimilation. In fact they were right when we look back at how French was forcefully suppressed when the US bought Louisiana and German from the Midwest.
The only plausible way that the French Canadians could have joined the American revolution is if when France began to help the Americans. Maybe France could have attempted to revive the nationalism in them and that after the revolution was won the Americans could have given back Canada to France (which I doubt the French would have wanted anyway) or let the French Canadians have their own country as an acknowledgement of their help. However I'm not a big fan of Alternate-History so I won't go deeper in the hundreds of possibilities.
In the end it is not too irresponsible to assume that the French Canadians took the good decision. To this day their proportion of the North American population resembles what it was in the 1700's. They went from from roughly 20,000 French-speaking people for 1,000,000 English speaking people to 10,000,000 speaking people out of 400,000,000 English speaking people which means they stood at about 2% of the population despite being demographically overwhelmed.
Because of the tolerance of the British at first and the English-Canadians afterward, they maintained pretty much the entirety of their institutions. In 2013, Quebec has more territory than it ever did and is still predominantly French-Speaking, with its own education and legal system. The population did at some time show the will the become independent in both 1980 and 1995. The secessionists still today represent about 40% of their population, the federalists 40% and the undecided 20%.
I will say is that the prosperity of their language and culture and their liberty to make their own choice about independence would have been impossible if they joined the American revolution. They would likely not even exist today.
What else can I help you with?
Why didn't Canada join the American Revolution?
Canada did not join the American Revolution because the majority of Canadians at the time were loyal to the British Crown and did not support the revolutionary cause. Additionally, the British government took measures to prevent any rebellion in Canada by providing economic incentives and military support to maintain loyalty.
What was Canada's role in the American Revolution?
Many British Loyalists became instant Canadians after the American Revolution.
When did France join America during the American Revolution?
After the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga.
Why did colonists abandon their country and join the American Revolution?
They believed they were fighting for their freedom.
What large group of American colonists settled in Canada after the revolution?
Loyalists
Why didn't Canada join the American Revolution?
Canada did not join the American Revolution because the majority of Canadians at the time were loyal to the British Crown and did not support the revolutionary cause. Additionally, the British government took measures to prevent any rebellion in Canada by providing economic incentives and military support to maintain loyalty.
What was Canada's role in the American Revolution?
Many British Loyalists became instant Canadians after the American Revolution.
When did Canada join the Organization of American States?
1990
What is a summary of join or die1754?
summary of join or die,1754 American revolution shut up
When did France join America during the American Revolution?
After the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga.
How did the American revolution affect Canada?
the americanis helo
How did you join a regiment in the American revolution after the regiment was created?
I am not really sure
What battle of the American Revolution made the French decide to join American forces?
The Battle of Saratoga,
Throughout the American Revolution about 28000 Loyalists went to where?
canada
Why did colonists abandon their country and join the American Revolution?
They believed they were fighting for their freedom.
When did the british retreat from Boston to Canada during the American revolution?
1778
Which the two parts of Canada divided after the American Revolution?
North and South
